Program Courses

What program courses does IFSA-Butler offer?
The following courses are specially designed for IFSA-Butler students on the Beginning Language, Culture and Medical Spanish in the Yucatán program. You are required to enroll in a mandatory Spanish language class taught at a beginning or intermediate level, depending on your background. Additionally, you can choose to enroll in one other program course taught in English.

If you have had three or more semesters of Spanish, please consider our six-week Language and Cultural Studies in the Yucatán program. You can take Medical Terminology and Mayan Culture and Civilization in Spanish on that program.

Please read the following information carefully and return the course preference form found on the Forms tab to the IFSA-Butler U.S. office.

Click here to download all course syllabi, or click on a course title below to download an individual syllabus.

Beginning Spanish or Intermediate Spanish Language (4 U.S. semester credit hours)
This is an intensive beginning- or intermediate-level language course conducted in Spanish by Mexican professors. It meets for 60 contact hours over the course of the summer.

Medical Terminology (3 U.S. semester credit hours)
Medical Terminology explores the vocabulary used to communicate information about illnesses and medical conditions in the health care system. This course also studies how medical professionals utilize the Spanish language to interpret medical terms according to their cultural context. This course combines theory and practice, as students will participate in a series of visits to local rural communities and practicums at a medical facility where they will be in work directly with actual patients. This class is conducted in English and meets for 45 contact hours.

History of Mayan Culture and Civilization (3 U.S. semester credit hours)
This course will cover material from pre-Hispanic Mayan cultures, analyzing archaeology, epigraphy and history of the Mayans. You will visit important Mayan archaeological sites as part of the course. Through the course you will also explore how Mayan society was organized and sustained, while at the same time examining the sociopolitical structure. This class is conducted in English and meets for 45 contact hours.

IFSA-Butler cannot guarantee the availability of any course prior to the start of the program.

Please note that you cannot enroll in classes offered on the Language and Cultural Studies in the Yucatán program, which runs concurrently with this program.

University Info

What is the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán like?
The UADY is one of the top universities in Mexico. It is especially renowned for archaeology and anthropology, thanks to its location among many of Mexico’s most fascinating archaeological sites.

 

University Courses

Students on this program do not directly enroll at the Universidad Autónoma del Yucatán. All program classes are specially designed for IFSA-Butler students only. Program classes meet on the UADY campus and are taught by UADY faculty.

Registration

How will I register for courses?
Course registration will not take place until you are in Mexico. You, along with the help of the IFSA-Butler staff, will plan your course schedule during orientation.

What are the registration conditions?
You must take a full course load as determined by IFSA-¬Butler, which is 4-7 U.S. semester credit hours for the summer. Credit will be awarded on a Butler University transcript based on a typical U.S. summer course load. Taking less than a full course load may jeopardize your student status and result in personal academic repercussions and/or loss of financial aid.

All courses are graded on an A–F scale, and there is no provision for pass/fail or auditing courses unless pass/fail is the only method of assessment for the course. Students are not allowed to register for on-line, distance education or hybrid courses. See the “Academics” and “Program Fees and Financial Aid” sections in Preparing to Study Abroad for more information.

 

Exams

What do I need to know about exams?
You are not permitted to reschedule exams, request alternate assessment or arrange to have your exams proctored in the United States. If this occurs, IFSA-Butler will not be able to assist you in conducting an academic record query on the class in which you made this arrangement. Additionally, all academic obligations, including final exams, must be complete before leaving Mexico.

Transcripts

How will my home university know what my classes were and what grades I received?
After you return to the U.S., IFSA-Butler will send a Butler University transcript to your home university. The transcript reflects the courses taken, credits attempted and grades earned at the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán during your summer abroad. We will also send an official transcript to your permanent home address.

 

Academic Tutors

What if I need academic help during the semester?
In addition to the formal Spanish class, our program organizes tutoring sessions for students throughout the summer. These may be scheduled at various times during the week, when students meet with the tutor on an individual basis. Please meet with the IFSA-Butler resident staff if you would like the assistance of a tutor.